Washington: The latest employment report in the United States is bad news for a president whose agenda revolves around returning America to a “golden age”, driven largely by a resurgence in manufacturing.

It shows jobs growth continues to stagnate, with just 22,000 positions created in August – while job losses in manufacturing were 12,000 for the month, and 78,000 for the year to date.

Manufacturing job losses totalled 78,000 for the year so far, despite the Trump administration’s bid to restore US factories.Credit: Bloomberg

Last time Donald Trump received a weaker than expected jobs report from the Bureau of Labour Statistics – a month ago – he ordered the sacking of the agency’s commissioner, economist Erika McEntarfer.

This time, there’s no figurehead to blame. Trump’s pick to replace McEntarfer is yet to be confirmed by the US Senate.

The bureau found total non-farm payrolls, a widely watched indicator of US economic health, rose just 22,000 in August “and has shown little change since April”. Job gains in the healthcare sector were partially offset by losses in the federal government and in mining, quarrying,........

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